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| | | Re: Have An Idiot Light Lit | Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 7,662 Likes: 2 carpal tunnel | carpal tunnel Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 7,662 Likes: 2 | This van is NOT fuel injected it still has a carb. At least it still has a carb style fuel pump on the drivers side of the engine. My EGR diagnoses was because it is leaking exhaust and the donuts in the exhaust was tight. A bad EGR vale will do this
The van never made it to my place to pull the dog house cover.
........Wookee
Its a "Van Thing" A life style you have to LIVE to understand! Vintage Chevy Van Club
| | | Re: Have An Idiot Light Lit | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 4,460 pooh-bah | pooh-bah Joined: May 2006 Posts: 4,460 | My idiot light is on too, use Reed's guide to pull the codes or take it to a mechanic if need be. Mine ended up being half a dozen different sensors.
2003 Grand Caravan Member Vanatics Van Club-Spfld, IL Member Florida Van Council Member Central Florida Vans,-Orlando, FL | | | Re: Have An Idiot Light Lit | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 271 enthusiast | OP enthusiast Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 271 | When I bought the van the dude had the bottom port of the vacuum switch unhooked. When I reattached the hose the van stalled so I replaced the switch with a new one and had no further stalling problems. Would unhooking this again help me in any way?
Yes, my van has a carb.
Yes, I need to get out of this heat which is why after tomorrow I will be starting night driving towards Maine to get this fixed before heading back down for Provanity and then to MD for July (which is where the hot temp is going to be a big issue)
Being here in the middle of nowhere at a RV park with a giant hill to climb when I leave is a bit of a nightmare so I'm going to stay here another night to get my shit together and figure out where exactly I'm heading. | | | Re: Have An Idiot Light Lit | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 21,211 Likes: 25 Supreme Master | Supreme Master Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 21,211 Likes: 25 | The overheating issue is your biggest problem right now. Since the thermostat is new, I dare say that the radiator is plugged up...internally. 44,000 miles isn't much, but it's the age. With that low of mileage, the van did a lot of sitting. Somehow I doubt the original owner took much care of the cooling system. A new radiator would be the ticket. If the EGR valve is leaking exhaust, it should be replaced and as far as the EGR light goes, I agree that it's a timer to kick that light on after a pre-determined amount of miles to service the EGR system. Dodges had the same thing. It needs to be reset. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-FORD-L...ture&hash=item4603ae3fac&vxp=mtrhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-FORD-B...ture&hash=item256b7bd5e3&vxp=mtr
Nate Breece | | | Re: Have An Idiot Light Lit | Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 3,750 Likes: 13 | Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 3,750 Likes: 13 | DO NOT DISCONNECT THE EGR VALVE LINE AND PLUG IT. The fuel injection system is designed to have a functioning EGR valve and it will not hurt performance if left in place.
if the EGR vavle is leaking in any way, when it opens, the van will run like shit and have no power till it closes again (first hand experience here) - disconnected mine and have had no problems since. I am also in agreement with Nate about the overheating needing to be addressed sooner than later. did you guys flush out the system when you changed the thermostat? if not, I would try that first.. also, look at the front of your radiator, make sure it isn't caked up with crap that could be blocking airflow. a new radiotor shouldn't be too hard to swap out in that, gotta be easier than my Astro was! 90 Astro - "The Grey Ghost" - Haulin Ass, Not kids.E-Z Vanners and West Vanners Council of Councils Board Member National Truck-in Board Support Team "No matter where you go, there you are." "If you can't do something smart, Do something right" "There are three kinds of people in the world, those who can count, and those who can't"
| | | Re: Have An Idiot Light Lit | Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 271 enthusiast | OP enthusiast Joined: Feb 2012 Posts: 271 | What kills me about the temperature gauge is that it'll go from about half way to just buried in the red and then be fine.
It did it twice yesterday.
I didn't flush the radiator when I changed the thermostat but I pretty much emptied and refilled it if that counts. | | | Re: Have An Idiot Light Lit | Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,182 veteran | veteran Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,182 | If the clutch on the fan is goin out itll cause it to run hot. | | | Re: Have An Idiot Light Lit | Joined: Oct 2009 Posts: 3,772 pooh-bah | pooh-bah Joined: Oct 2009 Posts: 3,772 | If the gauge is going from hot to normal then you have an air pocket in the cooling system. Turn your heat to hot while putting water in. They can be fun to get out.
The only Stephentown on earth. I don't mind Coming to work, but that 8hr wait to go home is a bitch. No matter how little I do, I always feel I could do less. "The only thing wrong with a perfect drive to work is that you end up at work." NOVA VANS 1990 Dodge B150
| | | Re: Have An Idiot Light Lit | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 Maniac | Maniac Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 12,107 Likes: 37 | 1987 was the crossover year for fuel injection on the 300. Some 300s got it, some kept the carb. Ford carbed systems from this era are a PITA to maintain. You can still pull trouble codes from the computer on a carbed vehicle. If the EGR IS leaking, then it definitely needs to get replaced since that will affect the O2 sensor reading and mess up how the engine runs.
I agree the overheating is the biggest issue. Just because the thermostat is new doesn't mean it is working properly. I and many other guys I know have had new thermostats be faulty out of the box. Have you tested the sending unit for the factory temp gauge or otherwise verified that the engine is really overheating? Sending units can also fail.
Do like Dr. Bob says and first check for air pockets. If that doesn't fix it, flush the radiator (reverse flush at a shop, no garden hose methods). If THAT doesn't fix it, time to start thinking about a new radiator.
Last edited by Reed; May 29th 2012 12:59 pm.
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